Review by reviews_by_yana -- The Bonding by Imogen Keeper
Posted: 12 Jun 2017, 11:26
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Bonding" by Imogen Keeper.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The Bonding by Imogen Keeper dives deep into heavy subject matter as a mixed-genre tale. Using elements of drama, erotica, romance, and science-fiction, the book draws the thin line between love and lust and the difficulty in differentiating the two. The story starts on a high note with a prologue illustrating Nissa, the queen-designate and co-main character, delivering traumatic news to her people. There has been another fatal attack on their territory. Her father, the king, is forced to make the devastating decision to send one hundred cryopods into space in hopes of getting help to save the Trianni people who will be left behind. Nissa’s pod is the first to be discovered by an unsuspecting warrior, Tam of Argentus. Nissa and Tam are forced to bond for the sake of saving Nissa’s life after she is recovered from the pod. As simple as that may sound, this bonding comes with some serious fine print. Tam and Nissa will now be physically addicted to one another. At first this clause of the bonding is satisfying to the emotional and sexual interests of Nissa, Tam, and the reader, however as time progresses the lingering question centered around the nature of the bond can no longer be ignored. Is this bond held together by the power of love or pure lust? Nissa and Tam start to undress this conviction as they learn the ropes of this new life together.
As the rest of the story is unraveled, the readers peek into just how Tam and Nissa weigh their internal conflicts while also having to face the external dilemma of addressing what Nissa was sent there to do, seek solace for her people in the now dystopian Triannon. Themes of loyalty to one’s mate and one’s race and being true to oneself will begin to clash and create tension for not only Tam and Nissa but for the entire race of Argentus and Triannon. The contrasting cultures of these two races makes for a divided people, some viewing the bonding as healing and connection, while others deem it as unnecessary commitment. Everyone has their own personal agendas in this book, but it all boils down to who one owes their loyalty to and the sacrifices that come along with it.
Imogen Keeper gave us a glimpse into her boundless imagination with this book. She successfully created a world of her own, while interweaving elements from other great works. The Odyssey, Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight seem to be three external influences in the conception of this book. Painting a brilliant picture of how one can be blinded by both love and lust, this story begs the question: is love truly blind? The answer is beautifully illustrated through the deep emotions of the characters. Imogen Keeper meshed erotica and romance to tell the story from the point of view of both the emotional and physical realm.
I also thought that the author did a great job in defying roles and responsibilities. Nissa is depicted as not merely an accessory part of the process, but as a disciplined leader in getting answers and hopefully resolution for her people.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There were some grammatical errors throughout, but nothing too distracting from the plot. Sometimes the narration was a bit awkward. There were many instances where two unlabeled speakers were placed the same paragraph making it difficult to determine who’s speaking in a given dialogue. Besides these minor editing issues, The Bonding stands in a genre all its own and is a good illustration of the depth of emotions in true love.
******
The Bonding
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Bonding by Imogen Keeper dives deep into heavy subject matter as a mixed-genre tale. Using elements of drama, erotica, romance, and science-fiction, the book draws the thin line between love and lust and the difficulty in differentiating the two. The story starts on a high note with a prologue illustrating Nissa, the queen-designate and co-main character, delivering traumatic news to her people. There has been another fatal attack on their territory. Her father, the king, is forced to make the devastating decision to send one hundred cryopods into space in hopes of getting help to save the Trianni people who will be left behind. Nissa’s pod is the first to be discovered by an unsuspecting warrior, Tam of Argentus. Nissa and Tam are forced to bond for the sake of saving Nissa’s life after she is recovered from the pod. As simple as that may sound, this bonding comes with some serious fine print. Tam and Nissa will now be physically addicted to one another. At first this clause of the bonding is satisfying to the emotional and sexual interests of Nissa, Tam, and the reader, however as time progresses the lingering question centered around the nature of the bond can no longer be ignored. Is this bond held together by the power of love or pure lust? Nissa and Tam start to undress this conviction as they learn the ropes of this new life together.
As the rest of the story is unraveled, the readers peek into just how Tam and Nissa weigh their internal conflicts while also having to face the external dilemma of addressing what Nissa was sent there to do, seek solace for her people in the now dystopian Triannon. Themes of loyalty to one’s mate and one’s race and being true to oneself will begin to clash and create tension for not only Tam and Nissa but for the entire race of Argentus and Triannon. The contrasting cultures of these two races makes for a divided people, some viewing the bonding as healing and connection, while others deem it as unnecessary commitment. Everyone has their own personal agendas in this book, but it all boils down to who one owes their loyalty to and the sacrifices that come along with it.
Imogen Keeper gave us a glimpse into her boundless imagination with this book. She successfully created a world of her own, while interweaving elements from other great works. The Odyssey, Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight seem to be three external influences in the conception of this book. Painting a brilliant picture of how one can be blinded by both love and lust, this story begs the question: is love truly blind? The answer is beautifully illustrated through the deep emotions of the characters. Imogen Keeper meshed erotica and romance to tell the story from the point of view of both the emotional and physical realm.
I also thought that the author did a great job in defying roles and responsibilities. Nissa is depicted as not merely an accessory part of the process, but as a disciplined leader in getting answers and hopefully resolution for her people.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There were some grammatical errors throughout, but nothing too distracting from the plot. Sometimes the narration was a bit awkward. There were many instances where two unlabeled speakers were placed the same paragraph making it difficult to determine who’s speaking in a given dialogue. Besides these minor editing issues, The Bonding stands in a genre all its own and is a good illustration of the depth of emotions in true love.
******
The Bonding
View: on Bookshelves
Like reviews_by_yana's review? Post a comment saying so!